Building-block.



F. A, W. DAVIS.

BUILDING BLOCK. APMIOATION ULEB SEPT. 23,1908.

Patented Apr. i3. 1909.

wi fa/Leones 4W/m1 U'Nrrnn saires FREDERICK A. w. nAvis, or mmANAroLis, INDIANA.

sunnites-ences.

Specicaton el Letters Patent.

Patented Apu-1 13, 190e.

Application led September 2S, 190s. Serial No. 454,993.

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it knownthat I, FREDERICK A. W'. DAvIs," a citizen of the United States, residing at Indianapolis, in the county of Marion and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Building Blocks, of which the following is a specifica- Qtion.

One of the modern methods of erecting buildings consists in first preparing blocks molded from plastic material, such as clay, concrete, vor the like, and building the same into a wall, and covering the surface with a suitable plaster. Such buildings have been subject to the objection that the walls would absorbA moisture, thus rendering the build' ings to a large degree unfit for habitation.

1t is the object of my present invention to provide a building block of the character in question which shall beV impervious :to moisture, or substantially so, and thus avoid the objectionable condition referred to.

lt consists in embodying in the block an impervious skin, which, however, shall be of s'uch character as to enable the plaster coat Awith which the wall is covered to adhere strongly thereto.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which are made a art hereof, and on which similar reference ciaracters indicate similar parts, Figure 1 is a lan view of one end of a building block of tiie character in question embodying my said invention, and Fig. 2 is a perspective view of such a block. 'y

The block which l have chosen to illustrate is of the character'frequently referred to as hollow tile; but, obviously, the invention is .applicable to any other of the forms of blocks utilizable for the purpose. This block 2Lis to be provided, as is customary, with ribs or lother suitable irregularities upon its surface of impervious material has been given the desired form, itis placed in the mold by '55 means of which the bundingbiock is to be formed, and the plastic material from which of the block, and it is ready to be assembled with others into the wall to be erected, and its surface is suitable to receive the plaster with which the wall is to be coated.

.The voids in these building blocks may oir may not be filled with concrete when the Wall is erected, according to the desire of the builder., As will bereadily understood, with the outer surface of these building blocks completely covered with sheet metal or such like impervious material, the ordinary objection of dampness in buildings constructed of such walls is completely overcome. Not only is a building block produced which avoids the objection of dampness, but one which can be so assembled as to-receive an exterior coating after it is assembled by means of which all joints may be covered, giving the struc*- ture 'substantially a monolithic character.-

Having thus fully described my said invention, what l claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is zl. A building block consisting of a body molded from plastic material and a sheet of impervious material forming a side thereof, said sheet of impervious material having a formation with which the plastic material will interengage whereby .it becomes an integral part of the block whenfinished, said. formation also constituting a surface-with which laster will likewise interengage when appliedP to` the wall in which the blocks are embodied.

2. A wall comprising a plurality of hollow blocks of absorbent ceramic material having their outer surfaces rendered nonabsorbent,

projecting portions up'on the sides of said l locks forming binding surfaces thereon, and a finishing plastic upon one-or more of said binding surfaces.

In witness whereof, I, have hereunto set my hand and seal at Indianapolis, Indiana, this twenty-fifth day of September, A. D. one thousand nine hundred and eight,

FREDERICK A. W. elvis. [1.. s] 

